Is this the most interesting/competitive period in the open era?

[GuyForget]

USO 1990 - AO 1993:

Sampras wins USO 90, beats Lendl, Mcenroe+ Agassi, Agassi beats Becker
Agassi Wins YEC 90 beats Edberg+Becker
Becker wins AO91 beats Lendl, Lendl beats Edberg
Courier wins F91, beats Stich+Agassi, Agassi beats Becker
Stich wins W91, beats Courier, Edberg+Becker
Edberg wins USO91, beats Lendl+Courier, Courier beats Sampras
Sampras win YEC91, beats Courier
Courier wins AO + F 92, beats Edberg+ Agassi
Agassi wins W92, beats Becker, Mcenroe+ Ivanisevic, Ivanisevic beats Sampras+Edberg, Sampras beats Stich
Edberg win USO92 beats Sampras
Becker wins YEC92, beats Ivanisevic+Courier
Courier wins AO93, beats Stich+Edberg

 

[Sampras-Bruguera 1993]

RG 1990- Year end 1995 IMO. Littered with just great talent all over on all surfaces

 

[abmk]

USO 1990 - AO 1993:

Sampras wins USO 90, beats Lendl, Mcenroe+ Agassi, Agassi beats Becker
Agassi Wins YEC 90 beats Edberg+Becker
Becker wins AO91 beats Lendl, Lendl beats Edberg
Courier wins F91, beats Stich+Agassi, Agassi beats Becker
Stich wins W91, beats Courier, Edberg+Becker
Edberg wins USO91, beats Lendl+Courier, Courier beats Sampras
Sampras win YEC91, beats Courier
Courier wins AO + F 92, beats Edberg+ Agassi
Agassi wins W92, beats Becker, Mcenroe+ Ivanisevic, Ivanisevic beats Sampras+Edberg, Sampras beats Stich
Edberg win USO92 beats Sampras
Becker wins YEC92, beats Ivanisevic+Courier
Courier wins AO93, beats Stich+Edberg

+add Goran into that mix ...

maybe 87 to 93 Wim

 

[BorgTheGOAT]

USO 1990 - AO 1993:

Sampras wins USO 90, beats Lendl, Mcenroe+ Agassi, Agassi beats Becker
Agassi Wins YEC 90 beats Edberg+Becker
Becker wins AO91 beats Lendl, Lendl beats Edberg
Courier wins F91, beats Stich+Agassi, Agassi beats Becker
Stich wins W91, beats Courier, Edberg+Becker
Edberg wins USO91, beats Lendl+Courier, Courier beats Sampras
Sampras win YEC91, beats Courier
Courier wins AO + F 92, beats Edberg+ Agassi
Agassi wins W92, beats Becker, Mcenroe+ Ivanisevic, Ivanisevic beats Sampras+Edberg, Sampras beats Stich
Edberg win USO92 beats Sampras
Becker wins YEC92, beats Ivanisevic+Courier
Courier wins AO93, beats Stich+Edberg

+add Goran into that mix ...

Good list. USO 91, Connor’s run is also worth mentioning. I wouldn’t stop at AO 93 though. FO 93 with the arguably greatest clay court match of all times in the final, Wimbledon 1993, Sampras beating Courier, Becker and Agassi, Courier beating Edberg and Martin. I admit in 94 there was a little drop, but then followed by the great 1995 with the Pete-Andre rivalry at its peak, Muster having his clay court reign and Becker playing as great as ever. Best year to become a tennis fan. So for me it would be USO 90 - USO 95 starting and ending with a Pete-Andre final.

 

[buscemi]

As others have said, you could start this period somewhat earlier to a few years earlier, but I definitely think that, at the latest, you start with Wimbledon 1990.

You have Edberg beating Becker in a five set capper to their trilogy. Before that, Edberg had beaten Lendl, Mecir, and Chang. Becker had beaten Cash and Ivanišević.

 

[GuyForget]

quality of that final way below the previous 2 finals which is why I omitted it, Becker's stoned on sleeping pills + still takes Edberg 5 sets to beat him, Becker much better in 89,
Edberg much better in 91

 

[Hard Court]

The early 90s have to be up there. A lot great matches and a variety of styles to watch.
right before that (with some of the same and some different cast of characters) was fun as well. The Lendl-Wilander-Edberg-Becker era was fun to watch. There were guys behind them like Mecir, Leconte, Cash, etc. that were dangerous opponents.

Always thought the period between 1970-1973 was like that well, though it was before my time.

What helped make these eras so great was that the early and especially mid-round matches were not a given.

 

[MissileBackHand99]

As others have said, you could start this period somewhat earlier to a few years earlier, but I definitely think that, at the latest, you start with Wimbledon 1990.

You have Edberg beating Becker in a five set capper to their trilogy. Before that, Edberg had beaten Lendl, Mecir, and Chang. Becker had beaten Cash and Ivanišević.

Edberg routinely dismissing Lendl in the semis (with Edberg's return of serve on FIRE) was truly amazing to watch. Lendl was so laser focused on winning Wimbledon that year, and had played so brutally well at winning Queen's Club the week before. Becker had a tough semi with the teenaged Ivanisevic. I really thought Becker had that Final, being up 4-1 in the 5th set...but he made a couple of costly UE and Edberg brilliantly capitalized

 

[martinezownsclay]

At first I was dreading OP was talking about today, and was ready to go balls to the walls in disgust over it. Thank goodness I was wrong there, LOL!

Yes it is a period that atleast has a case, although I am not sure it would be my all time #1 pick. Would need to think about it. The 80-85 period is another that was also super competitive, would have been even better without Borg's early retirement.

The 1969-1973 period had an incredibly deep and very evenly matched field, but unfortunately was wrecked some by rival tours, too many exos, and a disorganized governing body.

 

[Dane_is_Finnish_OJ]

maybe 87 to 93 Wim

This.

 

[Hard Court]

With a few expectations you probably pick any period of time from about 1970-2001. There were individual years where one player really dominated (Laver in 1969, Connors in 1974 etc.) However, for the most part, the sport was very competitive. The top 3 players didn't almost automatically it to the semifinals.

I think one negative by-product of when serve and volleyers became extinct is that it really hurt the competitiveness in the game. Until the early 2000s, almost half the players were serve and volleyers. After they were gone, we lost half the competitiveness. For example, imagine if we didn't have serve and volleyers when Lendl played. If he didn't have to deal with McEnroe, Cash, Becker, and Edberg, He would have won many more titles. And the game would not have been as interesting then.

 

[Frankc]

True - it was not only that "serve and volleyers became extinct," it was that the full court skills vanished... pooof...